Breaking News: Office Surgery Suspended by Florida Board

Office surgery under general or spinal anesthesia was ordered stopped for a 90-day moratorium period in Florida by an 8-5 vote in the Florida Board of Medicine on August 5, it was reported by wire services and various newspapers. Patient safety was cited as the reason, particularly in light of five more deaths since March, two of which allegedly were related to anesthesia. A representative of the Florida Medical Association opposed the moratorium and a spokesperson for the Florida Society of Cosmetic Surgeons indicated that group may seek a court injunction to prevent it. The Spring 2000 issue of the APSF Newsletter featured an extensive special section on office-based anesthesia (OBA) safety, presenting issues and concerns about the more and more extensive surgery and anesthesia care being attempted in offices. Florida was just one of several states mentioned in the section "Who are the Victims?" listing prominent cases of anesthesia critical incidents in offices in the article "OBA Questions, Problems Just Now Recognized, Being Defined."